Day Off
by LadyAxisNeoluna
Summary: Ruby wanted to go out in Vale and invited Scarlet to accompany her for the day. Unbeknownst them, there are feelings other than friendship blossoming as the day goes on. Scarlet x Ruby.


After a long exam period for all of Beacon, Ruby woke up more energized over the beginning of the break period. Her teammates were all still asleep from the early hour so she quietly dropped down her bunk, quickly cleaned up and dressed for the day.

She walked down outside the cafeteria to see if anyone she knew was already awake. And too her surprise, all of Team SSSN were all inside. She went inside to quickly get her breakfast and made her way to their table.

"Hey guys, good morning." Ruby greeted collectively and sat down with them.

Sun waved and smiled, "Morn' Ruby. Any reason you're up this early?"

Ruby shrugged, "I'm just looking forward to spend the day in Vale after Scarlet and I do our morning spar." She looked aside Scarlet to see him agree.

Sun decided to tease the two, "Oh so you two are doing an all-day date thing, or something?"

Scarlet sent a glare at the blond and before he could retort, Ruby beat him to it. "Well we just planned to spar before I go out, but um…" Ruby looked to Scarlet to meet his gaze, "Scarlet, if you're free today. Would you like to come with me to Vale?"

Sun and Neptune chorused an "Ooooo" and held their Scrolls out to record the moment, and Sage to pipe them down from their immature ribbing. Scarlet glared at the former two's behavior before turning to Ruby.

"Sure Ruby. I'd love to come with you." Scarlet answered. "But first…" Scarlet quickly and effortlessly vaulted over the table and scuffed Sun and Neptune with them protesting. "YOU TWO, DELETE THAT FOOTAGE NOW." Scarlet said darkly.

Ruby then gave a questioning glance at Sage's direction about to ask about it.

"This happens often with us." Sage answered, before a chase out of the cafeteria ensued with Sun and Neptune running like haste from a very determined, angry red head.

oOoOo

Ruby finished her breakfast and headed to the training grounds with Sage assuring her Scarlet would be punctual. That she can expect since Scarlet had yet to be late when they plan their spars and marksmanship courses.

Ruby sat on the bench reading over a catalogue of the latest hunter tech on the market. Many of the items were expensive or even incompatible with her Scythe, but she loved to think about the various possible weapons she could design if she had the time.

'Hmm since Scarlet's going with me, I have to ask what he wants to do while we're out.' Ruby wondered. She looked to an article on old style materials used by hunters in the earliest days and how they were still used in present weapon crafting while she waited.

"Did I make you wait too long?" Scarlet asked in the corner of her eye before he stood beside her.

Ruby smiled at him, "Not at all. I'm more concerned if you're cramping from chasing Sun and Neptune."

Scarlet softly huffed at the mention of the two, only to smile back at Ruby, "Luckily I didn't and I managed to get them to delete that video."

"Congratulations!" Ruby jested with him before setting her catalogue aside and taking Crescent Rose. "I'm ready to a spar if you are, unless you want to take a breather from earlier."

Scarlet took out his multi dust whip "Spine Tessuti" and a sabre rifle, "Fusée Rouge" for the session. "I'm more than ready, so let's get started."

Each of them stood at either edge of the training circle taking their stances. They looked at each for a moment before Scarlet decided to go on the offensive as he drew Fusée Rouge and charged at the girl.

Ruby activated her rifle mode and fired where she predicted Scarlet would serpentine but he swatted the bullets he wasn't able to dodge and did the forward lunging stab, only for Ruby to use her semblance to teleport behind him.

Scarlet immediately leapt high in the air when he correctly assumed Ruby to hit him with scythe mode and fired shots with his rifle mode while in mid-air with Ruby spinning her weapon to deflect them. Scarlet quick hands to his other weapon and cracks it to the ground to create an aura enhanced shockwave and made Ruby off balanced even with planting her scythe, giving Scarlet time to crack it again to freeze where she stood and to point his sabre at her.

"Yield." Scarlet said to the girl.

Ruby sighed and raised her hand. "I yield Scarlet."

Scarlet then used some speckles of red dust to quicken the thawing process and pulled Ruby to her feet.

"Best three out of five?" Ruby suggested to him.

Scarlet smirked, "If you're up to it."

The two redheads determinedly fought to five rounds of the spar with exchanging outcomes. Some with Ruby's acrobatics with her scythe made Scarlet lose track when she would hit and cause him to trip up and some with Scarlet's whip causing numbing shockwaves to travel through Ruby's scythe to her arms or his sabre being a more maneuverable blade to lock Ruby to a more vulnerable position.

But in the end the two of them managed to end in a draw, Crescent Rose's and Fusée Rouge point blank at each other, heavy breathed from the intensity of it. They both lowered their weapons.

"Good session," Scarlet complimented.

Ruby laughed and nodded in agreement, "Yeah, it was a really great spar."

Both of them quickly cleaned the area of shells and headed to their own dorms to dress for their outing in Vale.

oOoOo

Ruby unlocked her door and carefully opened if her team was still asleep. She found that they were all gone and she proceeded without caution.

She noticed one of her new dresses on Weiss' bunk and a note. Ruby picked it up and quickly read it out.

_"Ruby,_

_I heard from Sun that you would be going out with Scarlet today. I laid out your cute new dress for you since the weather is nice for it._

_Hope you have fun, and be safe,_

_Your big sis Yang."_

"Huh, news definitely travels around" Ruby said. She discarded the note to quickly shower and dress. She looked over herself in the mirror. The thigh length day dress was her signature red, a black open rose by her left side and single rose bud stems lining above the hem of the dress, her usual black tights and matching dark ruby flats with bowtie ribbons on them, completed her outfit.

It was dressier than her usual clothes, but nothing she hadn't worn before.

Ruby picked up her hood, ammunitions clips, and scythe before she headed out the door. She walked out to the school's entrance courtyard to find Scarlet just looking out at the statue, wearing his own different set of clothes.

"Scarlet hey!" Ruby greeted him and rushed over. When Scarlet heard her, he turned to her with a small smile, "hey Ruby."

Scarlet wore a white buttoned up shirt rolled to his elbows, a dark grey double buttoned waistcoat with gold coloured tassel lacing, black dress pants with his slanted grey belt with weapons in tow, classic black laced up boots, his jade earring and his signature red military coat draped over his left shoulder.

All Ruby could say was, "Wow."

Scarlet looked down on himself, feeling oddly self-conscious "Sun and Neptune kept me from leaving the dorm until I wore this" Scarlet said, and muttered "meddlesome five year olds…" to himself.

Ruby heard him out and giggled, "Well I think you look good in it. Really cool and kinda mobster-ish." Ruby then tried to correct herself," Not saying it as a bad thing of course!"

Scarlet let out his own amused chuckle, "Well you look pretty if it makes us equal to the situation."

Still unbeknownst them, they both had a pleasant flutter in their chests at the complements.

"I guess it does." Ruby mentioned and walked up beside him, "so…shall we go?"

oOoOo

The two walked in the streets of Vale after the short airship ride. Scarlet walked a pace behind his companion. "Where do you wanna go first?" Scarlet asked.

Ruby thought over her day, "Hmmm well, I wanted to go to the botanical gardens in the park. It's been a while since I went" Ruby said.

"Oh, are you a botanical enthusiast Ruby?" Scarlet asked her.

"Hmm I guess I am." Ruby started a bit sheepish, "I never gardened before but I read up on a lot of different flowers and how to properly take care of them." Ruby elaborated. "Too busy with Hunter's training to make a garden and all."

"I see." Scarlet said in slight disappointment.

Ruby gave a small smile for Scarlet's regard, "Well this trip is a lot nicer since we can enjoy the garden together." She admitted, causing Scarlet to feel flushed.

"Come on, the gardens are almost here." Ruby said and walked a more brisk pace, oblivious to the older boy's awkward feelings.

Ruby spotted an elegant sun kissed woman with long brunette hair and violet hair streaks. Her eyes a shade of yellow green.

"Violet! Hi! It's me Ruby!" The girl called with Scarlet casually following her.

The woman looked to her and smiled and stepped to hug the girl, "Ruby Rose, it's been awhile since I've seen you. You've grown so much."

"We'll I've been drinking a lot of milk, if that helped" Ruby joked, and stepped from Violet.

Ruby made a side gesture to Scarlet, "Violet, this is one of my friends from Beacon, Scarlet." She then gestured to Violet, "And Scarlet, this is Violet, the manager of Vale Botanical Gardens. I've visited her garden since I was small, along with Yang and my dad."

Scarlet took Violet's hand and shook it. "Hello miss, it's nice to meet you." Scarlet greeted her formally.

Violet smiled from the boy's formal address with her, "Just call me Violet, Scarlet, and it's nice to meet you too." Violet stepped away and looked to both teens.

"It's still very early in the garden's opening, so you two are the first to come. Feel free to look around as long as you want."

"Thanks Violet!" Ruby said and proceeded to pass the garden's entry arch with Scarlet following her.

"Oh Ruby, one more thing." Violet called to her.

"Yes?" Ruby said and stopped to look back.

Violet gave a knowing smile, "The roses are particularly beautiful, be sure to show them to your boyfriend."

Ruby blushed lightly at the mention, "ahh a-alright Violet but w-we aren't anything like t-that!" Ruby stuttered embarrassed "A-anyway, see you!"

Ruby continued to walk with Scarlet, "Sorry about that."

"It seems to happen with our circle of friends," Scarlet said dryly, although still hiding what he truly felt about the mention.

Despite the morning of nosy people, Ruby and Scarlet enjoy the seclusion of having the garden all to themselves. Ruby had a childlike energy looking around the meticulously laid out flower beds to create mosaics of colour and types, taking close ups and panorama shots of the surrounding areas to fully take in the view of the sections. Ruby particularly loving the Jasmine grown in the green houses.

Scarlet merely indulged her zest when she wanted to have her picture taken with them.

After an hour of looking over the flower beds, the two walked under a long archway path that usually holds wisteria blooms, but have long since gone.

"The path to the rose gardens is just that way." Ruby mentioned.

Rose bushes of many colours opened out to them. From the old classic colours of red, pink, yellow and white, to specially bred roses with orange, blue and even black.

Ruby breathed in the various scents in the air, "Ahh I feel at home here!" Ruby exclaimed.

Scarlet took in the scent of the air before he crossed his arms and thought of something funny "Are you implying you're part of some humanoid-plant race called Flora?"

Ruby thought about it and giggled, "I don't think I am but it would be really cool. I would smell like a rose garden all the time!" She then stretched her arms overhead in a light crack. "I wanted to save the roses for the last stop. They're my favorite." Ruby mentioned. She went ahead and looked around the expertly formed and maintained bushes, carefully take the stem and take in the bloom's beautiful aroma.

While she did, Scarlet noticed her features soften, eyes lidded, lips pursed to a smile, becoming delicate and serene in contrast to her usual energy. It wasn't a carefully practiced demeanour, it was completely genuine, and Scarlet almost felt he wasn't supposed to see Ruby in such a way, not this soon. His chest was feeling odd again because of said girl.

"Scarlet, are you alright?" Ruby voiced her concern.

Said boy shook off his thoughts, "I'm fine," he excused, "Are you enjoying the roses?"

Ruby nodded, "I am." She then looked on the large gathering of the plants. "Do you…happen to like roses Scarlet?"

Scarlet caught her pause with the question, but decided to think she was trying to choose her words carefully and avoid misunderstanding, "I've always loved roses actually." He said naturally.

"Well…any particular reason why?" Ruby pressed, now she knew she was being nosy.

Scarlet looked to Ruby and then to the garden, thinking over a belief "Well, although they can grow wild and thorn covered, they're still beautiful plants that represent many different meanings. They could represent friendships, gratitude, joy, loss, humility, passion, and of course love in many forms. They make anyone's day just being able to receive them."

Scarlet looked back to Ruby, noticing how…enamoured she looked, "Did I answer your question well?" Scarlet asked, but held a light teasing tone.

Ruby nodded, "I just didn't expect you to describe roses in such a way. Glad we have another thing in common."

"No problem, Rosebud." Scarlet nicknamed.

Ruby decided to ignore the jest, "we should get lunch. I know a great café around the area."

"Sounds great," Scarlet said, and walked beside the younger girl out of the garden.


End file.
